TURKEY TRAINING CAMP / Riesling wins trainees' favor

Published 4:00 am, Friday, November 17, 2006

Photo: Photo By Craig Lee

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Turkey training camp at the San Francisco Chronicle Food kitchen. Olivia Wu and Tara Duggan teach five people how to make a Thanksgiving dinner. Photo of Art Gutierrez (left) and Tara Molnar enjoying the food they just help create.
photo by Craig Lee / The Chronicle
Ran on: 11-17-2006
Arthur Gutierrez prefers Tequila to wine, while Tara Molnar found a Washington Riesling she says she'll serve at her own Thanksgiving dinner. less

TURKEYCAMP15_610_cl.JPG
Turkey training camp at the San Francisco Chronicle Food kitchen. Olivia Wu and Tara Duggan teach five people how to make a Thanksgiving dinner. Photo of Art Gutierrez (left) and Tara ... more

Photo: Photo By Craig Lee

TURKEY TRAINING CAMP / Riesling wins trainees' favor

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Thanksgiving came early at The Chronicle this year. Recently we invited five readers to participate in our Turkey Training Camp -- an all-day seminar on how to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

We figured that while we had them here, we'd use them as guinea pigs to test wine that our expert W. Blake Gray chose to pair with our menu of turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, vegetables and cranberry sauce.

With all those textures and flavors, finding the right wine is not easy. So Gray chose six:

He selected wines he thought would most complement the food, but were still affordable enough for entertaining large crowds. He chose the Riesling and White Zin because their sweetness balances well with Thanksgiving fare, the Sauvignon Blanc because it goes well with green vegetables, and the Chardonnay because of its value. The Zinfandel was a symbolic choice -- America's traditional holiday deserves the grape that's most associated with the United States. The sparkling Shiraz is both a fun wine and a great Thanksgiving pairing, and Aussies drink it with their turkey.

Gray suggests serving a few different varietals at dinner so there is something for everyone.

As members of our training camp sampled the meal they had slaved over, they swirled and sipped the wines. We didn't tell them what they were drinking, hid the boxed wine and disguised the bottles in brown paper bags.

Unequivocally they picked the Riesling as their top choice.

"It's spicy," said Stephanie Haver, a 39-year-old high school teacher from San Anselmo, who concentrated on the wine as she tasted some dressing. "It goes well with the food."

Tara Molnar, a 26-year-old former law school student from San Francisco who's waiting on her bar exam results, said she plans to serve the Riesling at her own holiday dinner. Annmarie Cannarozzo, a 44-year-old Alamo stay-at-home mom, found it just a tad too bold for her taste.

What surprised our testers was how much they liked the Gallo White Zinfandel, which is known more for its fruit-punch sweetness than its appealing bouquet.

These were their comments before they knew what they were drinking:

"I thought it had a crisp and unique flavor," said Chris Hawkins, a 38-year-old San Francisco businessman. "It feels like it would hold up. I would start my meal with it."

"I think it would work well with a salad," Haver continued.

And after:

"Oh," Hawkins said with embarrassment. "Don't write that I liked it. I'm still looking for a nice girl. I don't want her to think I'm cooking in my trailer."

Arthur Gutierrez, a 47-year-old single dad from Pleasanton, chimed in: "That's why I drink Tequila. After the second shot it all tastes the same."

Maybe it's our proximity to Wine Country that makes some Bay Area folks so snobby. Here's a news flash -- White Zinfandel is the fourth most popular wine in America, according to the latest numbers from ACNielsen, an international marketing firm that tracks product sales.

With that said, there were others to choose from.

Hawkins liked the Sparkling Shiraz because it reminded him of his grandmother's favorite, Cold Duck. Haver thought the Sauvignon Blanc paired well with the potatoes.

"It's nice and light," she said.

The Zinfandel got nary a mention. And no one seemed too impressed with the boxed Chardonnay. But at that price they may rethink it.